Let’s get one thing clear: despite Jordan Peele’s involvement as a producer, Him is not a typical Peele-esque horror film. Directed by Justin Tipping, this movie arrives with a trailer that wildly misrepresents it as pure horror. What we actually get is a visually stunning, somewhat unsettling cinematic experience that unfortunately drifts through intriguing ideas before culminating in a violent, chaotic ending.
Don’t expect a gruesome horror fest with blood and guts galore (and certainly no wood chippers, if you were hoping for that kind of thrill). Nor is Him a conventional sports drama, complete with an ’80s-style training montage where an underdog rises to prove their worth.
Film Details:
- Title: Him (English)
- Director: Justin Tipping
- Cast: Marlon Wayans, Tyriq Withers, Julia Fox, Tim Heidecker, Jim Jefferies
- Runtime: 96 minutes
- Synopsis: The film follows an aspiring football star whose career is derailed by an accident, only for him to receive a life-changing opportunity.
Interestingly, while defying easy categorization, the movie touches upon many themes: the demanding world of football, the struggles of aging and retirement, the dangers of toxic fandom, questionable medical practices, and overbearing parents. We’re introduced to Cam (Tyriq Withers), who has been immersed in football since childhood, with his father, Cam Sr. (Don Benjamin), heavily invested in his athletic dreams.
The story opens with a young Cam eagerly watching a game on TV. When legendary San Antonio Saviors quarterback Isaiah White (Marlon Wayans) sustains a terrible injury, Cam Sr. instills in his son the notion that true greatness transcends physical setbacks.
Years later, Cam is on the cusp of his own professional football career, preparing for the Combine and a lucrative contract. However, a brutal attack by an obsessed fan leaves him with suspected brain damage. As his dreams seem to crumble, Cam’s manager, Tom (Tim Heidecker), presents an incredible opportunity: a week-long mentorship with his childhood hero, Isaiah.
Filled with optimism, Cam travels to Isaiah’s isolated desert compound. There, he encounters Isaiah’s peculiar entourage, including his overtly unsettling influencer wife, Elsie (Julia Fox), the somber and eccentric doctor, Marco (Jim Jefferies), and various other athletes.
Each day at the compound focuses on a different aspect of training, such as pain, vision, and sacrifice. Cam soon finds himself immersed in a disturbing spiral of unsettling visions, including one resembling the Last Supper, and witnessing alarming acts of violence.
These visions raise questions: are they caused by the drugs Cam is given, his brain injury, or something supernatural? The reviewer muses whether an artist’s visions might be inherently more beautiful than those of non-artists, while subtly noting that a wandering narrative is rarely a positive sign in a supernatural thriller.
Much like Cam’s increasingly troubled mind, the film drifts through aesthetically pleasing, symmetrical shots, eventually leading to a disappointingly violent climax. Both Wayans and Withers deliver commendable performances, given the perplexing material they had to work with.
Approaching Him without the influence of its trailers or the expectation of a Jordan Peele horror masterpiece might lead to either pleasant surprise or sheer frustration over the many missed opportunities to cleverly critique contemporary societal issues.
Him is currently playing in theaters.